Fiji Times seek judicial review on PS decision

Fiji Times Limited has issued a statement today in response to media inquiries regarding legal proceedings issued by the newspaper last week.

The statement highlights that Fiji Times is challenging the Communication Permanent Secretary’s decision to select the Fiji Sun as the approved print media organisation for publication of Government notices and advertisements in 2016.

The newspaper claims the Permanent Secretary did not follow proper process under the Government’s own Procurement Regulations when he purported to award an exclusive advertising contract to the Fiji Sun.

It further claims that it is the Director of the Fiji Procurement Office who must conduct the tender process and the Government Tender Board which must award this contract, not the Permanent Secretary.

The application also claims that the Permanent Secretary acted unreasonably in failing to clarify whether or not his Ministry also controls the advertising decisions of statutory bodies and Government-owned companies, most of whom do not advertise in The Fiji Times.

Fiji Times also claims that the Permanent Secretary breached his legal duties in failing to give reasons for the decision to award the Government print advertising contract to the Fiji Sun.